Speed change device



Feb. 15, 19318.A y J, D CHR|$T|AN l 2,108,368

a SPEED CHANGE DEVICE v Filed Nov. 2e, 193e;A 2 Smets-sheet 1 2/ /Z'` E i Y 472,42 2,7 45 @ga i@ ,f '/9 /7. 1 A v A Z5 1 54 *y l 5 3 52 46M 1 A Y I 57.5/ .Z5 29. j/ I/5l "1E 1, 4541/.y

L-. 'T J2 A J 2 2 i 55 mfko; #4 -40 I INVENTOI@ SPEED CHANGE DEVICE Filed Nov. 28, 1936 2 Sheets--SheefI 2 INVENTOR.

Joeph (bnf/Avn BY- MM ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb'. i5, 193s 2,108,368

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPEED CHANGE DEVICE Joseph D. Christian, San Francisco, Calif. Application November 28, 1936, Serial No. 113,247 3 Claims. (Cl. 'i4-242.11)

This invention relates to a speed change device. few moments work, since nothing need be re In my prior Patent No. 1,860,703, issued May 31, moved from a base or taken out of alignment. 1932, I have disclosed a construction of an elec- If a V belt or flat beit drive is employed, shock tric power unit in which an electric motor is absorbing means areprovided which will absorb 5 mounted upon and supported by a speed change much of the shock of the suddenly applied load. 5 unit, the motor andthe speed change unit being This feature is one of considerable value, inasmounted together upon a base provided only bemuch as some diiliculty was encountered in the neatli the speed change unit. The device of this previous units of my patent, it being necessary patent met with aA recognized commercial success, to provide a relatively rugged base and easing l0 and resulted in the advent of what is now known structure for the speed change unit, as Well as 10 in the commercial art as motorized speed regearing and other internal construction of high ducers. service factors, to take the abuse.

Because of the nature of the structure utilized, It is an object of the present invention to prothe cost of the unit of my aforesaid patent has vide an improved and simplified speed change unit been relatively high. This is necessarily so beconstruction. A l5 cause, for example, to provide such a unit an elec-A Another object. of the present invention is to tric motor is first purchased and reconstructed for provide a device in which the speed change unit reception in the speed change unit, .the motor is carried directly by the deviceto be driven. shaft being bored or splinedto receive a direct Thus, in accordance with this invention, if a connection to a shaft in the speed reduction unit. f pump, m11] or other unit is to be driven the Speed 20 This of course involves Charges in PIOCUrrlg the change unit is mounted directly upon the power customersV motor, taking dOWn the mOtOI, in intake shaft of the pump, mill or other unit.

either remachining its standard shaft or else mak- Another object of the present invention is to ing a new shaft, and in assembling the motor on provide a novo] pinion gear and bearing con.. the reduction unitstruction therefor. v 5

A further Objection tC' units 0f this type has yAnother object of the present inventionis to been encountered in the lack of flexibility in provide a novel pinion gear, Sprocket or pulley effecting any speed change in a simple and mex mounting and bearing Support therefom pensive majnner Wlth themptordtrectly Coupld Another object of the present invention is to to a shaft 1n the speed reducing unit, a change in provide a novel Shock absorbing means in a speed 30 speed between the motor and the speed reduction change unit. unit was not possible. .'Irlixetonlly' el'zfinge that The invention includes other features and ob esta@ @ressenssassarese; of Some of C W p. f the foregoing, will appear hereinafter, wherein Y gears therein. Since this required removal of the present preferred Structures embodying 'he pres unit from the. base upon which it was supported. ent invention are disclosed and taking down of the entire unit, the cost was too high and this was rarely done. vIl it was pair? legflawings accompanying and forming a attempted to secure a changeo speed between 40 the driven shaft and the speed'rediciig unit, as 1215i? lrclglfboty al'secton 0 by providing a gear or sprocket an c ain drive, f u it was necessary to provide elements of comparauustrt'tmg a Structure embodymg the Diesen@ tively heavy construction and comparatively high mul is a plan View Showing the unit of. the cost, because'of the low speed of operation. The device of the present invention obviates all prsent' mventlon .m combination with a sultable 45 of the previously discussed difliculties. It enables prlme mofeh y a standard motor to be used without changing The unt 0f uns mvenlon 15. ltntefzled for uw @i me, er strife; raast special mac ining or o er ing on e mo or. a v It also enables a speed-change to be secured bemover Cilfleii 1 Sillmble dllVmg element 5| aS a 50 tween the motor and the speed reducing unit, a gear, Sprocket, flat pulley, 0I' a V belt pulley. The simple and inexpensive chain, a fiat belt or V belt POWeI receiving unit indicated generally at l l 1nbeing utilized for this. cludes an elementIZ which is to be rotated at a To effect a change in speed, it is only necessary speed usually considerably less than that of the to change the sprockets or pulleys, a matter of a prime mover. In this case, I have shown element 55 I 2 as a shaft, but it can be a wheel or other structure to be rotated.

In accordance with this invention, I mount the speed change unit utilized to effect a major portion of the speed change directly upon the element I2. In the present instance, as appears in the drawings, I have shown a hub I4 as mounted upon shaft I2, which is of course supported by suitable bearing means in the unit II. AThe hub I4 is suitably xed to the shaft I2 to drive the same, as through a keyway I5. The shaft I2 is illustrative of rotatable means to be driven.

In accordance with this invention, means are provided for rotating the hub I4. Thus, at one end of the hub I form bearing races indicated by numerals I 6 and I1. A single bearing race can be used if desired, but I prefer to use two of them and to provide a relatively wide supporting surface. In the bearing race are positioned rollers I8, although balls can be used if desired, if the total pressure upon the bearing is not particularly great.

Mounted directly` upon and rotating on the rollers is an annular member I9. Rollers be; tween the annulus I9 and the hub I4 are retained in place by washer 2I and spring locking ring 22.

It is a feature of this invention that the annular member is utilized as a driving element for the hub, as well as part of a roller bearing. Thus, upon a portion of its outer surface is formed gear teeth 23, so that the annular member can be used directly as a pinion gear. By providing the bearing means directly between the annular member and the hub, the diameter of the gear 23 can be reduced to a minimum, closely approximating that of shaft I2, so that considerable reduction can be effected between gear 23 and the gear which it drives. Another portion of the annular member I9 is utilized for reception of a suitable driving element, as pulley 24.

p Means are provided between gear 23 and the hub I4 which will effecta reduction in speed. A gear 25 is mounted upon a countershaft 21 and is driven thereby, so that upon rotation of pinion gear 23, gear 26 is rotated and shaft 21 is driven thereby.

Rotation of shaft 21 is effective to rotate gear 28 formed upon shaft 21, which gear is enmeshed with a ring gear 29. Ring gear 29 is attached by cap screws 3l to a flange 30 formed upon the hub, so that, in accordance with this invention, rotation of the gear 23 is effective to rotate the hub and its supporting shaft I2,"

the power input shaft.

rIhe countershaft 21 is supported by ball bearings 32, which are in turn mounted in a frame structure indicated generally by numeral 33. The frame structure includes opposite members 34 and 36 journalled upon the hub by a flange 35 supportedby bearing means 31. The frame structure is usually a casting, providing a rigid support structure for the countershaft 21. A removable plate 38 secured by cap screws 40 is provided for assembly.

Instead of the simple single gear reduction unit disclosed, further reduction can be effected, if desired, by including additional gearing, while in place of gearing to effect the reduction, chains and sprockets can be employed or V belt pulleys. The terms gear and gearing used herein and in the claims are to be read as including these obvious equivalent constructions.

v screws 45.

It is ofcourse necessary to resist the rotation of vextension 4I if the unit is to be effective as a driving means for shaft I 2, for if this shaft were held and power was applied from the motor 52, the frame 33 would rotate ii' it was not restrained as by engaging extension 4I.

In accordance with this invention, I provide extension 4I with an element such as wheel 42 which bears upon the flexible driving element I), the V belt, chain, etc. and keeps a tension thereon, the length of the extension being varied to suit the pressure desired upon the input power element.

The whole unit is encased in a suitable removable casing structure 43, the frame serving as a portion thereof. 'I'he casing 43 is shown as a light sheet metal casing held by ring .44 in groove 46 on the frame. A plate 41 on the member I4 prevents oil leakage.`

By varying the relative sizes of the driving element 24, and that on the prime mover, as by substituting other sprockets or pulleys, fundamental changes ln the speed can be quickly made without disrupting alignment of any of the units.

The unit disclosed is applicable quickly and inexpensively to a wide variety of power utilizing units. For example, hub I4 need only be bored out or otherwise fashioned for mounting upon the shaft or for attachment to the element which it is to drive. Nothing needbe done to the motor shaft, and, as a consequence, the second hand value of the motor is not depreciated.

Since in the main, speed changes can be readily made by changing the driving element 24 and that on the prime mover, the Aunit is readily adapted to a wide variety of speeds at very low cost. These elements are on the high speed end, and standard parts ordinarily kept in stock can be employed, these elements being far less expensive than elements usually employed, of a special nature necessarily, when applied to the low speed side 'of the unit.

By mounting the pinion gear driving element structure directly vupon the hub, and by providing the bearing between the gear and the support shaft, I have found that the bearing load is sdreduced that it is possible to make the hub I4 "and the annular member I 9 of metal of low hardness. The ring gear 29 can be made cheaply and easily in the form of a forging, and attached to the flange 30 on the hub easily and quickly. This reduces costs very materially.

From the foregoing'it is believed to be readily apparent that I have provided a novel structure relatively simple in construction, and of much less cost to manufacture than that disclosed in the aforementioned patent. At the same time, I have provided a unit which is relatively of greater utility, for it is far more flexible so far as the variations in speed are concerned which it enables to be secured.

It is to be noted that the present unit requires little space, much-less than that of previous drives, so it can be installed on units with much less trouble. Its installation cost is lower for the customers motor need not be transported, reconstructed and returned by the manufacturer.

Further, it provides a speed change unit which utilizes the standard belts, pulleys, chains and sprockets, and makes these of increased utility, whereas present speed reducers take no advantage of them..

I claim: g 4

1. In combination, a driven device including a power intake element, a hub secured to said element for rotating said element. a first gear secured to said hub, a second gear rotatable on said hub, a frame journalled on said hub, means for resisting rotation of said frame, gear means carried by said frame and joining said rst gear to said second gear for driving, a motor including a drive shaft, a driving element thereon, a

driven element for said second gear, and a continuous iiexibiev drive means trained about said driving and driven elements, said resisting means including an element supported by said frame and engaging said flexible drive means at least upon rotation of said hub in one direction.

` 2. In combination, a driven device including a power intake element, a hub secured to said element for rotating saidk element, a flrstgear secured to said hub, a frame journalled on said hub, means for resisting rotation of said frame, a second gear,means supporting said second gear for rotation with respect to said frame, a driven element for said second gear, said'drlven element being outside said frame, gear means carried by said frame and joining said iirst gear to said second gear for driving, a motor including a drive l shaft, a driving elementthereon, and a continuous flexible drive means trained about said driving and driven elements, said resisting means including an element supported by said frame and engaging said flexible drive means at least upon rotation of said hub in one direction.

3. In combination, a driven device including a power intake element, a hub secured to said elefment for rotating said element, a rst gear se cured to said hub, a frame journalled on said hub, a second gear, means supporting said secf ond gear for rotation with respect to said frame, a driven element for said second gear, said driven element being outside said frame, gear means carried by said frame and joining said first gear kto said second gear for driving, a motor including a drive shaft, a driving element thereon, and a continuous flexible drive means trained about said driving and driven elements, and means extending from said frame toward said motor for increasing tension on said exible drive means to resist effectively rotation of said frame.

JOSEPH D. CHRISTIANy 

